What has happened to us as a nation 25 years after the Edsa Revolution?

Ryan Pahimulin, Rizal: Under a dictatorship, there is no chance for maturity. Somehow, we have made considerable progress in the last 25 years.

Efren Castalone, Metro Manila: As a nation, we only redeemed our democratic freedom, but we are not moving forward due to rampant graft and corruption in every branch of government.

From corrupt to more corrupt

Ed Gulmatico, Abu Dhabi: What we have are more squatters; more destitute Filipinos who can barely survive; new secessionist groups emerging out of existing ones; rebels devoid of ideals, principles and objectives and engaged in visible extortion and kidnapping activities. The only visible happening we can reflect on is that the rich have become richer. Corrupt high government officials, including top-ranking generals, became rich, dirty political dynasties/families strengthened their hold on power and are treated like monarchs.

Jim Veneracion, Naga City: Twenty-five years after the Edsa Revolution, we are still stocked with the same problems that brought about this revolt. Top of these is the big Corruption.

Ishmael Calata, Parañaque City: If we trace the historical accounts after that world-renowned People Power up to the time P-Noy assumed the Presidency, we end up cursing our fate! True, there was corruption during the Marcos regime, but back then, corruption was said to be confined at the top, together with favored cronies and political cohorts. Those who were “outside the kulambo” suffered deprivation, to the extent that after Edsa, many of them became even more rabidly vicious than those in the positions they took over from. What happened next shows that no administration since then made a clean slate in governance and none made anything at all to arrest growing corruption. Because of that, the nation is left appalled and is now languishing in a decadent society. The speech of President Noynoy Aquino on the 25th anniversary of Edsa I was well-crafted where he mentioned much about corruption. Let’s see what he can do.

Louella Brown, Baguio City: Twenty-five years after the Edsa revolution, we still enjoy our freedom. However, there are more thieves in government than ever before.

Jun Montebon, Parañaque City: We regained our freedom. On the other hand, corruption has become decentralized. We are witnessing now the rise of ultra-corrupt bureaucrats.

Diony Yap, Bacolod City: The never-ending issue of corruption marks People Power even on its 25th year, and to a more disgusting extent at that.

Alexander Raquepo, Ilocos Sur: Many things happened and still, we are a nation struggling to get our acts together. The spirit of Edsa is now just for the sake of celebration and the alleged former corrupt regime is replaced by more and more regimes that are alleged to be more corrupt and underperformers.

Robert Young Jr., San Juan: Twenty-five years after the Edsa Revolution, we are no better off. We lost great opportunities to rise from the devastation of two decades of Marcos rule. The worst blackouts resulted from the Cory government’s scrapping of the Bataan Nuclear Plant. The Ramos government entered into onerous contracts with power producers, which made our power rate the highest in the world. It became a fad to sell large government properties but proceeds were diverted. Billions were squandered on useless projects like Expo Filipino. Officials, the Church, NGOs and some ethnic business groups in Makati conspired to oust Pres. Estrada. The Executive Secretary of Arroyo was allegedly involved in a $2-M money laundering two weeks into her presidency but the government didn’t take any action despite report from Swiss government. Now we are facing multi-billion corruption cases of the military. The Ombudsman, which is tasked to prosecute corruptors, is doing a poor job.

Pitts Hizon, Pampanga: Twenty-five years after Edsa Revolution, our much-cherished freedom was restored in our country. Nothing significant happened since then, though. The poor became poorer; the rich became richer and powerful! Massive corruption, kidnappings, carnappings, drug trafficking, rape and murder have become the menu of the day!

Ruben Viray, Antipolo City: True democracy after the 1986 People Power revolution is still a dream, mostly, as the elite few dominate the political and economic scene in the country. A culture of corruption also seems to have grown and spread like wildfire in all government institutions. Progress is snail-paced and economic growth is not enough due to the booming population. Many Filipinos join the exodus to foreign countries for better opportunities due to a shortage of jobs in our own country.

We are still dreaming

C.B. Manalastas, Manila: Twenty-five years after Edsa, the Marcos family is back in local politics and their ill-gotten wealth still unrecovered, and we are still dreaming.

Joel Caluag, Bulacan: We remain the same. No values, corruption-ridden, mendicant culture and chest-beating heroes (kuno) of Edsa 1. Puro kayabangan at salita lang.

Germi Sison Cabanatuan City: Our prayers for the restoration of decency and sanity were granted through P-Noy by leading us in treading the right path of life. Lo and behold! We are now seeing the glowing silhouette of our new dawn.

Left behind by other countries

Lucas Banzon Madamba, Laguna: Our country is still the same 25 years after the Edsa Revolution. We may have restored our freedom and democracy but we have yet to improve economically. Our country needs to regain its competitiveness in Asia and in the international community.

Nestor Chan, Metro Manila: The Philippines has faltered compared with the progress of other countries that also threw out authoritarian rulers in the years after 1986. South Korea, Thailand and European countries are now enjoying economic progress, but our country is still experiencing political division 25 years after. Political debates about Charter change, scandals and corruption continue to dominate Philippine politics.

Louie Vallo, Pangasinan: I would say that we have been badly outpaced by our neighbors and the rest of the world in terms of development. In terms of political maturity, economic progress, educational quality, research and development in the field of science and technology, as well as in the military, we are lagging behind almost all states in the world. Subsequent leaders never used the supposed gains of Edsa 1 for the best interests of our country.

J.R. Mondonedo Jr., Parañaque City: It’s like having the best dream of your life, walking on the beach holding hands with either Jessica Alba or Christine Reyes, talking about anything which both of you have an interest on, having a few laughs while she wipes off the grain of sand on your face, until suddenly, you wake up and hear the voice of your nagging, suspicious, unattractive wife telling you the dream is over and to wake up to reality. That’s what happened to us as a nation 25 years after the Edsa Revolution. The reality is that nothing has changed. There are more corrupt officials than ever before, and the sad part is, none of these corrupt officials went to jail or are going to jail. More crimes are being committed, we are no. 2 spot in the list of most corrupt nations in the world; and we are behind our neighboring Asian countries. That is the reality.

Dr. Jose Balcanao, Benguet: I perceive that our economic growth is not much since South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia are performing better than us. There are still economic inequities. A big percentage of our electorate are dependent on patronage and lack in making an informed choice during elections. Our elite continue to control power and wealth. OFWs are continually multiplying in numbers. We still lack discipline and a nationhood philosophy.

A divided nation

Renato Taylan, Ilocos Norte: As a people, we are still dysfunctionally diversified and yes, our defective culture and tradition still pull us down.

Arvin Padual, Quezon City: After the Edsa Revolution, the Filipino people enjoyed too much freedom and politics, which have gradually made us divided.

Armando Tavera, Las Piñas City: Politically speaking, the nation remains divided. We cannot move on because we keep looking at the mistakes of past regimes.

We only have ourselves to blame

Lorenzo Fernandez Jr., Cabanatuan City: From that glorious moment on, nothing has changed. It’s just a case of ningas cogon on the part of the people.

Carmela Ramento, Cagayan de Oro City: We got what we wanted at Edsa, alright. But if we didn’t progress much in 25 years, we can only blame ourselves because we voted and installed crooks to run the country.

From frying pan into the fire

Joe Nacilla, Las Piñas City: Twenty-five years after the Edsa revolution, we are still waiting and hoping for economic growth and major change in our political system. We are in the business of hoping for miracles to happen, not of studying institutions and actualities. The main objective of the Edsa revolution was for a dramatic change of heroes under the dictatorial leadership. We prayed hard and our prayers were answered. However, our prayers were not specific enough that we were given the same rich and powerful people where our enemies came from. The same circle of politicians, products of the same educational institution and mingled in the same society circle.

Elpidio Que, Vigan: From the frying pan, we jumped into the fire. We have been declared a champion in corruption. Some cronies of Ferdinand Marcos even became more powerful after he died.

We’re free but poor as ever

Randolph Hallasgo, Misamis Oriental: Ever since the Edsa Revolution, no more Presidents attempted to become a dictator. There was an attempt, but due to our experience at Edsa, people already knew what to do. After all these years, though, a lot of Filipinos still suffer from poverty. We are free from the dictatorship but poverty incidence in some provinces and municipalities remains high.

Rico Fabello, Parañaque City: The revolution somehow gave us a consistent status free and poor.

Jesus Mendoza, Pangasinan: Poverty is still with us 25 years after Edsa 1 due to the virtual rule of oligarchs, the massive scale of corruption, and politics of patronage.

Ella Arenas, Pangasinan: Parang wala ding nangyari. Corruption is still rampant and operates with impunity. The only consolation is the restoration of democracy the sweet smell of freedom.

What a waste

Leonard Villa, Batac City: Sad to say, we have become stagnant politically and morally and squandered the gains of Edsa 1. We failed to attain the changes we fought for. What a waste!

Ruel Bautista, Laguna: Compared to a child learning to walk, we took a great leap during Edsa Revolution, but got stuck and made no effort to get out of the quagmire we fell into.

Juan Eduardo, Baguio City: Edsa was an aberration. If anything, we failed to capitalize and are now worse off as a nation than ever before.

Best, worst of times

Nescel Panes, Passi City, Iloilo: On the bright side, we have seen the notable contribution of OFWs bringing higher revenues to our country; the modernization of technology, which has opened more job opportunities; innovation in education, which enables our graduates to participate in the labor force, and the discovery of new heroes in the field of sports. The downside is seeing an increasing number of families suffer from poverty; the growing number of graft and corruption activities among government officials; a rise in crimes of any form; and widespread injustice and immorality.

Jose Fabello Jr., Cagayan de Oro City: We had the best of times; we had the worst of times. Of the best, we relished the sweetness of freedom and democracy. Of the worst, progress was excruciatingly slow.

Freedom without responsibility

Rey Ibalan, Antipolo City: We are enjoying the gains of freedom and suffering the curse of living in a democracy without responsibility.

Our unfinished revolution

William Gonzaga, Marikina City: The damage done to our economy and psyche by the Marcos dictatorship continued under the short-lived Erap administration and the Arroyo regime, which eventually gave us the disreputable image as Asia’s economic basketcase and most corrupt. It was said that the French Revolution consumed its own children and so did the Edsa Revolution. Many of the personalities that joined the first Aquino administration somewhat became the parties involved in the abuses and excesses of the Erap and Arroyo regimes. Now, they are the critics of the second Aquino, fervently yearning for the return of the corrupt Arroyo rule. With dirty politics and self-serving interests still exerting their strong influence in government and business, the Filipino diaspora continues due to lack of better work opportunities. We have an unfinished Edsa Revolution, which the present generation has to pursue, learning from the mistakes of their elders.

Miguelito Herrera, Cabanatuan City: The battle continues 25 years after Edsa simply because many in the government and the military are corrupt, that the democratic institutions are weakened by past political leaders who accomplished nothing but destructive politics. We can only hope and pray, even as we keep trying to make it all right for our nation.

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